By Gunjan Rema from Kalmakanda

“We demand climate justice.” “How long we will suffer from the water crisis?” Pronouncing these slogans, a human chain was organized BARCIK and Green Coalition where indigenous people in the remote village of Anchengri of  Kalmakanda, Netrokona participated demanding to solve water crisis.

Due to mountain runoff and sand deposition, the rivers, streams, and wetlands along the border are filling up and disappearing. Most tube-wells are not well-functioning, and the groundwater level has gone more downward making water collection increasingly difficult. Women and children, in particular, are compelled to travel long distances to fetch water, causing serious hardship and safety concerns in their daily lives. The communities of Anchengri and 20 surrounding villages have been suffering from a severe shortage of drinking and irrigation water for a long time.

The Participants held placards with slogans such as “Water is our right”, “End the water crisis at the border, and “We demand safe drinking water now!”

Speakers urged the state authority to take immediate action to solve the water crisis. They pointed out that the water crisis is deteriorating public health and causing major losses in agriculture.

The discussants of the event include: Gunjan Rema, Upazila Coordinator of BARCIK; Mr. Suruj Mia, Ward No. 6 UP Member of Kharnai Union; and Mr. Fakhrul Alam Khasru, a respected member of Green Coalition and journalist. The discussants emphasized on solving the water crisis by formulating a long-term planning. They mentioned that people are suffering due to lack of water, and this is unacceptable. How much longer must they endure this crisis?

The human chain was attended by local people from various occupations, social organization members, and youth groups. Their collective effort made the event a success. Binita Haui said, “We hope the administration will take this humanitarian demand seriously and adopt effective measures to tackle climate change and the water crisis.”